This year's September Celebrations start unofficially this weekend with the Soca Madness Face Off and Dance Off.

To be sure, there's a very full schedule of events following after that. Today the BTB - which is marketing this 30th anniversary of independence along with NICH which is organizing all the creative types - met with the media to discuss coverage: that is how are you going to see and hear it.

Shari Williams told us more:

Shari Williams - NICH Communications Officer"We want to make life easier for the media in order that they can share the spirit of the celebration with the people."

Jules Vasquez"So what should the public expect?"

Shari Williams"The public should expect a lot coming this year. The media houses in this meeting - several things were decided. One is that no station - even though we've been approached by several for exclusivity - will have exclusivity over any of the national celebrations, because it is a national event. It's for the people, and so we want everybody to be able to access them, and to enjoy it. We at NICH, we want to promote culture in such a way that it becomes an income earner just tourism."

From the celebration of St. George’s Caye Day, to the birthday of our beautiful jewel, September is a time for rejoicing, and reveling in Belize’s independence (September 21, 1981). This year, Belize turns the big 3-0, and with it, comes one of the biggest celebrations planned.

The September Celebrations committee, the Ministry of Culture and the Belize Tourism Board, have been working tirelessly on the schedule of events for the entire country. Below find a copy of the schedule of events for San Pedro.

San Pedro Carnival is celebrated on September 21st each year and a host of revelers take to the street sporting colorful costumes performing modern, contemporary and cultural dances. One group which has been gracing our island’s streets for the past two years has already started this year’s preparations. Island Masqueraders, with a membership of over 36 is gearing up for Carnival 2011.

This group, comprised of male and female dancers, will be coloring the streets with their exotic, multi-colored costumes come September 21st. As with any Carnival group around the world, this show of culture and art does not come without a cost. Representatives of the group will be approaching you, our business community, seeking much needed financial support to make this year’s Carnival show bigger than ever.

Leading up to September 21st, Carnival parade, the group will be hosting a motorcade through the main streets of San Pedro followed by a block party at the Central Park on September 20th. For further information about either donating or becoming a member of this energetic Carnival group, please contact Kera Hemmans at 626-1240 or Bernadette “Coolie” Reyes at 621-1683.

St. George's Caye, the historical landmark and place where it's said the country's forefather's fought off an invasion by the Spaniards, is where yesterday the Minister of Culture officially launched this year's Calendar of activities celebrating Belize's 30th Independence Anniversary. Reminding the small group of invited guests the reason the country continues to celebrate the battle of St. George's Caye, Honorable Manuel Heredia used a page from his last year's opening remarks.

Hon. Manuel Heredia "Two hundred and thirteen years ago a group of defiant settlers supported by the British Belizean made a historic stand on the island of Saint Georges Caye. They were defending the land they called their home against the Spanish invaders, who were sailing to this shores in an attempt to regain territory they had laid claim to. The veracity of the magnitude of the bottle that day has been ensued that has been disputed by scholars, but what is a fact, is that the settlers prevailed in defending the settlement and the territory that became known as British Honduras."

"Thirty years ago on September 21st, 1981, our country was granted Independence from great Britain and we became the Independent nation of Belize. The launch of the annual celebrations, should take place on Saint Georges Caye, because it is this hollow grounds that our history as a nation began to unfold. We launch the 30th anniversary of our celebration this year under the team "Honoring our history, celebrating our culture, united for peace."

"Belizean across the length and breathe of the beautiful country know that we live in a wonderful place, populated by good people and our national celebrations allow us to demonstrate our patriotism, our unity and our love for this glorious place."

The next major scheduled event on the calendar of activities leading up to the celebration of the 10th and the 21st of September, takes place this Saturday, September 3rd, with the annual Carnival Road March.